Combined air dampener and air diverter



Dec. 12, 1961 B. H. MILLER COMBINED AIR DAMPENER AND AIR DIVERTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 23, 1959 all/III INVENTOR g 8/? Y6! 6. 12 FR ATTORNEY Dec. 12, 1961 B. H. MILLER 3,012,495

COMBINED AIR DAMPENER AND AIR DIVERTER Filed June 25, 1959 :s Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENT OR BRYCE H. MHZ/FR,

ATTORNEY Dec. 12, 1961 B. H. MILLER COMBINED AIR DAMPENER AND AIR DIVERTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 25, 1959 INVENTOR EAYCY' /V////? ATTORNEY United States Patent F 3,012,495 COMBINED AIR DAMPENER AND AIR DIVERTER Bryce Harold Miller, Glendale, Califl, assignor to Genie- Air, Inc, Glendale, Calif., a corporation of California Filed June 23, 1959, Ser. No. 822,321 4 Claims. (til. 98-116) The present invention relates to a combined air dampener and air diverter and it consists in the combinations,

constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally the present invention constitutes an improvement over the apparatus disclosed in my Patent No. 2,700,331, dated January 25, 1955. More particularly, the present invention consists of a novel combined dampcner and air diverter which may be utilized either in a conventional air circulating unit or as a part of a more simple roof exhauster. The combined damper and air diverter consists simply of an inverted cone which may be of spun aluminum, plastic material or other lightweight material. It may be formed of stamping a light metal. The device is adapted to normally remain at rest atop an air stack but, when air is forced upwardly through such stack, the device is lifted to a raised position by the movement of air alone to position abutting the underside of a dome which is aflixed in spaced rela- It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a novel combined damper and air diverter for air circulating and roof exhaust devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a de- In such case the vice of the character set forth, novel means whereby such devices may be utilized as skylights.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel sealingand vibration dampening means forming a part of the invention.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide, in

a device of the character set forth, a novel pressure relief opening forming a part of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and efiicient in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel means for lifting the same in an upwardly directed air current.

Still another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel means for diverting anddiffusing a current of air passing through an air circulating unit, root exhauster or the like.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of an embodi ment of the invention illustrating the same as a part of an air exhauster unit and showing the combined dampener and air diverter in lowered position,

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIGURE 1 but illustrating the combined dampener and air diverter in raised position,

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view, partly in eleva- 3,012,495 Patented Dec. 12, 1961 tion, illustrating the present invention applied to an air circulating unit of the type described in my former patent,

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but show ing a modification thereof, and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but illustrating a further modification the invention may assume.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein, in FIGURE 3, the present invention'as applied to the air circulating unit of my former patent, above mentioned, wherein there is provided a stack 10 of tubular construction about which is positioned a frustoconical skirt 11 and means indicated at'12 for securing the unit to a roof 13. The apparatus in the lower. portion of the showing in FIGURE 3 has been described in my former patent above referred to and will not be further described here with the exception of mentioning a fan 14 powered by a motor 15.

That portion of the showing in FIGURE 3 which is novel in the present invention consists of an outwardly directed flange 16 formed integrally with the upper edge of the skirt 11 upon which rests an annular outwardly directed lip 17 formed at the upper edge of the stack 10. A series of four circumferentially spaced standards 18 interconnect the flange 16 and a flange 19 of a dome 20. Each of the standards 18 is provided with a covering 21 of rubber or like yieldable material.

An inverted cone-shaped combined dampener and air diverted 22 is cupped, as indicated at 23, at its outer periphery and the cupped portion 23' normally rests upon an annular ring 24 of rubber or the like.

In the operation of this form of the invention, it will be apparent that when air is being forced upwardly through the stack 10 by the fan 14, the cone 22 will be lifted to its dotted line position indicated at 22 where the cupped portion 23 will rest against the underside'of the dome 20. During such upward movement of the cone '22, the standards 18 will act as guides for the same, ensuring against the cone tipping during such ascent and likewise it will be apparent that the coating 21 upon each of the standards 18 'will act to lessen any noises which might be produced by contact between the cone 22 and the standards 18. When the cone 22 'is in the raised position indicated at 22, it' will be apparent that the conical shape of the same will act to evenly distribute the upwardly moving column of air emanating from the stack 10 outwardly in substantially a horizontal direction. When the fan 14 ceases to rotate and the columnof air no longer moves upwardly in the stack 10, the cone 22 will come to rest upon the ring 24 thus acting as a damper and sealing the upper end of the stack 10 from outside air.

In FIGURE 4, there is illustrated the identical structure shown 111'! FIGURE 3 with the exception that the same is used in a simple air exhauster. Hence, identical reference characters have been used in FIGURE 4 as those applied to FIGURE 1. The operation is likewise identical as that above described. In FIGURE 4, however, it will be seen that the dome, indicated at 20a and the cone dampener and air diverter, indicated at 22a are each formed of a translucent plastic material and hence will allow light to pass therethrough and thence through the stack 10 to the interior of the building upon which the device is mounted.

In the device as illustrated in FIGURES l and 2, the dome 20 and cone 22 are shown as being formed of metal and the particular metal of which the cone 22 is formed is preferably spun aluminum although it may be formed by stamping any light metal or may be formed of plastic or other suitable material. In FIGURE 1 the cone is shown in its lowered position where it acts as a damper while in FIGURE 2 the cone is shown in its raised position where it acts as an air ditfuser as illustrated by the arrows in said figure.

Referring now to the showing in FIGURE 5, there is therein illustrated a stack 30 having an outwardly extending annular flange 31 having a raised annular portion 32 inwardly of its periphery upon which is affixed a ring 33 of rubber or the like. A circular dome 34 is connected to the flange 3 1 by a series of vertical standards 35 preferably and as shown four in number and arranged in circumferential spaced relationship to each other. Each of the standards 35 is provided with a coating 36 of rubber or the like. A combined damper and air deflector is generally indicated at 36 and is of inverted conical shape and provided at its center or apex portion with an opening 37. The cone 36 is provided with a series of concentric upwardly directed grooves 38 and with a cupped peripheral portion 39. A ring 40 of rubber or the like is affixed to the underside of the dome 34.

In the operation of the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 5, it will be apparent that when the cone 36 is in lowered position that the cupped peripheral portion 39 will rest upon the ring 33 which will act as a seal against outside air while at the same time acting as a vibration dampener. Again, the standards 35 together with their coatings 36 will act as a guide means for the upward and downward movement of the cone 36 as heretofore described with reference to the cone 22 and cone 22a.

When the cone 36 is in such lowered position, the opening 37 acts as a pressure relief opening to take care of minute variances in pressure in outside air and air within the building to which the device is attached. The opening 37 may also permit the admission of additional fresh air when the device of FIGURE is applied to an air circulating unit which includes a recirculating cycle.

When an upwardly directed column of air is forced through the stack 30 in the manner heretofore described, it will be apparent that the grooves 38 will tend to entrap a portion of such air thus enhancing the upward movement of the cone 36 while at the same time lending additional strength to the cone 36. It will also be apparent that when the cone 36 is fully raised, the cupped portion 39 thereof will come to rest against the ring 40 which will thereby act to dampen vibration and lessen the noise of operation of the device.

While but certain forms of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a vertically extending air stack, a flange outwardly extending from the upper edge of said stack, a dome positioned in vertically spaced relation above said stack, a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertically extending standards interconnecting said flanged and said dome, a freely mounted combined damper and air diffuser normally resting on the upper edge of said stack and having an inverted conical body, and coatings of yieldable material on each of said standards, said standards acting as guides for vertical movement of said damper and diffuser.

2. A device of the character described comprising a vertically extending air stack, a flange outwardly extending from the upper edge of said stack, a dome positioned in vertically spaced relation above said stack, a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertically extending standards interconnecting said flange and said dome, a freely mounted combined damper and air diffuser having an inverted conical body and a cupped peripheral portion, a lower ring of yieldabie material ZilllXflll to the upper edge of said stack, said peripheral portion of said damper and diffuser normally resting upon said lower ring, an upper ring of yieldable material affixed to the underside of said dome, said peripheral portion adapted to abut against said upper ring when raised by air moving upwardly through said stack, and a coating of yieldable material upon each of said standards, said standards acting as guides for vertical movement of said damper and diffuser.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said combined damper and air difiuser is provided with a centrally disposed relatively small air inlet opening.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said combined damper and air diffuser is provided with a centrally disposed relatively small air inlet opening, and wherein the body of said combined diliuser and damper is provided with a plurality of conically and coaxially disposed parallel grooves for assisting lifting of said damper by entrapment of air flowing upwardly thereover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 322,832 Kittoe July 21, 1885 875,708 Hard et a1. Jan. 7, 1908 2,084,338 Hamblin June 22, 1937 2,337,382 Frankland Dec. 21, 1943 2,368,320 Norris Jan. 30, 1945 2,383,003 Mader Aug. 21, 1945 

